Starter system and apparatus for combustion-engines.



R. VARLEY. STARTER SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTTON ENGlNES.

APPUCAUON FILED AUG-9,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

INVENTOR A, Tmw

R. VARLEY. I STARTER SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLicA iow HLED AUG-9. $916.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR I (wil 33;

R. VARLEY. STARTER SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR comsusnow ENGINES.

APPLICATKON FILED AUG-9. 1916.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

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RICHARD VARLEY, 0F ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

STARTER SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

Application filed August 9, 1916. Serial No. 113,896.

To all whom it may concern:

ie it known that I, RICHARD VARLEY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at .Englewood, in the county of Bergen and State ofNew Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Starter Systemsand Apparatus for Combustion-Engines, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

The usual engine starting system forming part of the power equipment ofautovehicles, comprises essentially an electric motor and gearconnections intermediate the motor shaft and engine whereby the motormay be connected to the engine and its torque multiplied for turningover of the engine crank shaft. In first attempts it is not unusual forthe motor to fail to start the engine because of poor or cold gasmixtures or for other causes. Under such circumstances, the operatorreleases the usual starter button or lever, with resultant disengagementof the starter gears or disconnection of the motor and engine, but themotor armature being perfectly balanced and free of the engine load,attains considerable speed and sometimes continues to run for anextended period of time so that if another attempt is made to connectthe starting motor with the engine at such time, there is greatliability of injury to the gear teeth.

I provide means for safeguarding the establishment of the drivingconnection between the engine and the motor, so that it shall beimpossible to make such connections or to bring one gear into engagementwith another while the motor armature is moving.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system in which it shallbe impossible to effect connection of the starter apparatus and engineor engagement of the starter connecting mechanism either while theengine shaft is moving or the motor armature is moving.

I will now describe my invention so that others skilled in the art towhich it appertains may understand and construct the same, it beingpremised, however, that changes may be made without departing from myinvention.

Figure l is an elevational View partly broken away and partly in diagramindicating a system involving my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlargedfragmentary vertical sectional view showing somewhat more in detail thestarter lock mechanism; Fig. 3 IS a transverse vertical sectional viewon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse horizontal sectionalview on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing the lock device in conditionpermissive of starter connection between the motor and engine; Fig. 5 isa similar view showing the lock device in the condition it assumes toprevent engagement of the starter apparatus and engine; Fig. 6 is a viewcorresponding with Fig. 3 with the parts in the position shown in Fig.5; Fig. 7 is an end view (on the line 77 of Fig. l) of the clutchmechanism connecting the engine with the motor shaft for driving of themotor as a generator; and Fig. 8 is a section, on the line 88 of Fig. 7,of said clutch.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have indicated a type of electric unitcomprising a motor-generator 2, the armature 3 of which is journaled ina suitable frame or casing 4 and connects at one end through its shaft 5and an irreversible or one direction clutch 6 with a shaft 7 which isdriven by the internal combustion engine (not shown); the connectionbetween the shaft 7 and the shaft of the engine being effected by meansof gearing, as will be understood, so that when the engine is operatingor the engine shaft moving the armature 3 will be driven for operationof the unit as a generator. The one way clutch for effecting thisdriving connection between the engine and armature may be of the usualconstruction, comprising, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, a head portion 8fixed to the armature shaft 5 and a head 9 keyed to the shaft 7, betweenwhich heads are interposed spring pressed friction rollers 10 disposedin suitable pcripheral recesses 10 in the head S).

The opposite end of the armature shaft 5 is provided with a pinion 11adapted to be brought into mesh with which is a gear 12 which connectsby a sleeve portion 12 with a starter pinion 15 that is adapted to meshwith the gear teeth 16 formed on the fly wheel 17 of the engine; thesleeve 12 with its gears 12 and 15 being slidably shiftably mounted on ashaft 13 mounted in the frame member 14. The sleeve 12 is provided witha shift collar 18 (as clearly shown in Fig. 2) which receives the yokefingers 18 of a shift head 19 mounted to slide on a rod or shaft 20.Means for reciprocating the head 19 to bring the starting pinion 15 intoand out of engagement witlrthe. engine gear 16, may comprise a pivotallever 21 which may be operated by a foot pedal or foot pedal extension22 as will be clearly understood. A contractile spring connecting theend of the lever 21 and leading to a suitable point in the frame of themotor generator, serves to hold the starter pinion 15 in inoperativeposition.

The armature 3 or its shaft 5 is also pro vided with a gear 24 meshingwith which is a gear 25 carried by a shaft 26 journaled in the frame 14.Extending from the upper part of this frame 14, as clearly shown in Fig.2, is a fixed sleeve or ournal 27. Fixed to rotate with the shaft 26 isa vertically movable flanged-like head 28 on the lower face of which isa friction pad or ring 29 which may be formed of fiber or other suitablematerial. Disposed between the friction pad 29 and a thrust bearing 30and pivotally freely surrounding or journaled on the sleeve 2T is a diskmember or friction plate 31 that has a radially extending finger 32longitudinally slotted, as shown in Figs. 3 to 6, at 33, to receive astop finger or blade 34 of an arm 35 supported by means of a pivotalshaft 36 in a casing 37 which substantially incloses the mechanism justdescribed. This casing also forms a mounting for a clip spring 38, theends of which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, are symmetrically positionedby means of stops or lugs 39 of the casing 37, at opposite sides of thefinger 32 of the friction disk 31, so as to normally hold said finger inposition for alinement of the slot 33 in the finger and the pivotalblade 34. Also pivotally supported by a member 40 in the casing 37 is athrust spring or yieldable finger 41 that rests against a stud 28extending through the casing from the head 28.

The pad 29 of the flanged head 28 is normally held out of frictionalengagement with the disk or plate 31 by means of a coiled spring 42interposed between the head 28 and the end of the shaft 26. When the arm35 is forced downwardly so as to cause the finger or blade 34 to movetoward the slotted finger 32, a nose or lug 43 of said arm 35 willengage a similar lug or nose 44 on the member 40, which, by reason ofthe relative disposition of said lugs 43 and 44 will place the spring 41under such tension against the stud 28 as to overcome the tension of thespring 42, thus urging the friction pad 29 into engagement with the diskor plate 31. Forming part of or arranged to move in unison with thestarting lever 21 is a rocker arm or finger 45 adapted to depress thearm 35 when the starter pinion .15 is shifted toward the engine gear 16.Should the shaft 26 be rotating, engagement of the pad 29 with the disk31 (on said depression of the head 28) will set up rotatory shifting ofthe disk or plate With the result that the finger 32, as clearly shownin Figs. 5 and 6, will shift (in either direction according to thedirection of rotation of the armature 3 and the shaft 26) against thetension of the spring 38 to a position Where the finger 32 will blockcontinued movement of the arm 35 and therefore of the starting lever 21,by reason of engagement of the blade or stop finger 34 with the end ofthe finger 32; any suitable means serving to limit the shifting movementof the lock finger 32, as the size of the opening 37 in the casing 37,through which the finger 32 projects, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5.Should the motor armature 3 be stationary, the stop finger or blade 34will pass into the slot 33 of the finger 32 (the normal position ofwhich is shown in Figs. 3 and 4) so as to permit of continued movementof the arm 35 and starting lever 21. The slot 33 in the finger 32 ispreferably just the width of the stop blade or finger 34 so that the endof the finger 32 will, at either side of the slot, present an effectiveabutment to the blade 34 even though the finger 32 shift to a positionof very slight angular degree.

The relative positions of the arm 35, rocker 45 and starter lever 21 aresuch that any attempt to bring the gear 12 into mesh with the motorpinion 11 and therefore the gear 15 into engagement or mesh with theengine gear 16, will set up movementof the arm35 so that should themotor armature 3 be rotating, resultant movement of the vertical shaft26 will cause the finger 32 to block the action of the arm 35, as abovedescribed.

As clearly shown in Fig. 1, after the engine becomes propulsive, orduring movement of the engine shaft, resultant driving of the motorgenerator armature 3 through the coupling or irreversible clutch 7,effects driving of the upright shaft 26, so that it is impossible tobring the starting gears into engagement with one another during suchmovement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a starter system for combustion engines, the combination with theengine, of a starting device comprising a motor having a movablearmature and means for connecting the motor with the engine for startingof the latter, and means for preventing said connection of the motor andengine during movement of the armature.

2. In a starter system for combustion engines, the combination with theengine, of a starting device comprising a motor having a movablearmature and means for connecting the motor with the engine for startingof the latter, including a plurality. of gears adapted to be broughtinto and out of engagement with one another, and means for preventingsaid engagement during movement of the armature.

3. In a starter system for combustion engines, the combination with theengine, of a starting device comprising a motor having a movablearmature, an engine gear, a gear driven by the motor armature, means forbringing one of the gears into and out of engagement with the other, andmeans for 1 preventing said engagement during movement of the armature.

i. In a starter system for combustion engines, the combination with aninternal combustion engine, having a fly wheel provided with gear teeth,of a starting device comprising a motor having a movable armature andmeans for connecting the armature with the fly Wheel of the engine,including a gear driven by the armature and adapted to mesh with thegear teeth of the fly wheel, and means for preventing engagement of thegear with the teeth on the fly wheel during movement of the armature.

5. In a starter system for combustion engines, the combination with theengine, of a starting device comprising an electric element having amovable armature, means whereby the armature may be connected with theengine, for starting of the latter, means whereby the engine may drivethe armature, and means for preventing starting connecmeans whereby tionof the armature and engine during movement of the armature.

6. In a starter system for combustion engines, the combination with theengine, of a shaft driven thereby, a starting device comprising anelectric element having a movable armature, means whereby the shaft mayactuate the armature, means whereby the armature may be connected withthe engine for starting of the latter, and means for preventing startingconnection of the armature and engine during movement of the armature.

7. In a starter system for combustion engines, the combination with theengine, of a motor generator having a revoluble armature, means,including a shaft and a one direction coupling, for driving the armatureby the engine, means, comprising two members adapted to be brought intoengagement with one another, for starting of the engine by the motorgenerator, and means for reventing said engagement of said mem ersduring movement of the armature.

8. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a shaft, ofa motorgenerator having a revoluble armature, the engine shaft may drivethe armature, means for coupling the motorgenerator to the engine forstarting of the latter, including a shiftable connecting memher, andmeans for preventing shifting of the member during movement of thearmature.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RICHARD VARLEY.

